When questions of population growth and sustainability are debated, the silver bullet of technological progress is usually proposed or implied. But historical evidence and simulations of the future demonstrate the danger of relying on technology.

The conservation movement is often too busy stopping others from getting what they want, and doesn’t spend enough time trying to make its own progress. Maybe it’s time to create a clear set of objectives with plans on how to deliver those objectives.

Dr George Hobbs of CSIRO has found a pattern to odd shifts in the timing of pulsars. His work may contribute to a greater understanding of the behaviour of these important astronomical objects, and could make pulsars even more powerful tools for testing the fundamental laws of the universe.

Twenty years since 35 xenon atoms were manipulated into the shape of the IBM logo, the same technique has been used to form a transistor from just seven phosphorus atoms precisely placed in silicon. The achievement represents another step towards the creation of a quantum computer.

The consumption of processed meat increases women’s risk of ovarian cancer while consumption of fish reduces it, according to two Australian studies and a meta-analysis published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Ovarian cancer is rare but has a high mortality rate, with 60% of those diagnosed dying within 5 years.

Nine new species of handfish have been found, bringing to 14 the number of known species of one of the world’s most remarkable creatures. Yet specimens of several species are rare, and at least one species may well be extinct.